Post date: May 12, 2013 7:30:12 PM
As supporters celebrate the apparent election victory of former Prime Minister Sharif many Pakistanis believe that the new government will be faced with several difficult problems.
LAHORE, PAKISTAN ( MAY 12, 2013) (REUTERS) -Toppled in a 1999 military coup, jailed and exiled, Pakistan's Nawaz Sharif has made a triumphant election comeback and looks set to form a stable government capable of implementing reforms needed to rescue the fragile economy.
Sharif may not win enough seats to rule on his own but has built up enough momentum to avoid having to form a coalition with his main rivals, former cricketer Imran Khan's Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP)."I think Nawaz Sharif is on the way to forming his government. Maybe a little support he would need from some independent candidates or candidates from tribal areas, but largely he is going to be independent of the pressures that a coalition government usually faces, and which has to every now and then compromise its position just because it would like to please some of the coalition partners," analyst and author Imtiaz Gul told Reuters Television in Lahore on Sunday (May 12).
Local media said, of the results declared by Sunday evening, Sharif's PML-N had captured 94 of the 272 contested National Assembly seats.
Based on trends, it was likely to get around 130, and should easily be able to make up the required majority of 137 with support from independents and small parties.
The PTI has secured 21 seats while the PPP won 19.
However, Gul said, despite an overwhelming majority of seats and without needing the crutch of coalition partners to form government, Sharif will be faced with major challenges like widespread discontent over the Taliban insurgency, endemic corruption, chronic power cuts and crumbling infrastructure.
"Nawaz Sharif faces a number of challenges, and top of them is revival of the economy, because the economy is driving people into frustration. There is massive unemployment, production is slow but at the same time he also faces a big challenge of religious extremism inside the country," Gul said.
Most Pakistanis agree that Sharif has an uphill task ahead of him.
"Right now we can't say much but a lot needs to be done on security situation. The hot season is coming, dealing with load shedding and the energy crisis will be a major issue. And I think that should be the priority of the new government, "' saidIslamabad businessman Imran Akhtar.
Others said with the better-than-expected result, Sharif would have fewer excuses for failure on key policy issues such as the economy and terrorism.
"The constitution has given him a responsibility. As the saying goes, if you want to check out a person, give him power. We have given him power. Let's see what he does," said IT engineer Sohail Qamar.
"Some people are satisfied, some are not satisfied. But whoever forms the government, whether N (Sharif's party) or anyone else, they should fulfil their promises, which the previous government did not do," said Karachi shopkeeper Khurram Chaudhry.
Meanwhile, for supporters in Lahore it was time for celebration and sharing the joys of victory with others.
"In order to celebrate Mian Sahib's (Sharif) victory, we received an order to cook lots of rice for distribution. That is why we are cooking all this rice, and distributing it among people," said a Lahore caterer as supporters carrying posters of Sharif gathered around the steaming cauldrons.
The elections, held on Saturday (May 11), were marred by a campaign by Islamic fundamentalists to block the voting. Despite pre-poll violence and attacks that killed at least 40 people, voter turnout was a robust 60 percent.